h the lute and
organ.

Thus Malcolm had many opportunities of being with the Demoiselle of
Luxemburg: and almost a right was established, that when she sat in the
deep embrasure of a window with her spinning, he should be on the
cushioned step beneath; when she mounted, he held the stirrup; and when
the church bells were ringing, he led her by her fair fingers to her
place in the nave, and back again to the hall; and when the manchet and
rere supper were brought into the hall, he mixed her wine and water, and
held the silver basin and napkin to her on bended knee, and had become
her recognized cavalier. He was really thriving. Even the high-spirited
son of Hotspur could not help loving and protecting him.

'Have a care,' said Ralf to a lad of ruder mould; 'I'll no more see that
lame young Scot maltreated than a girl.'

'He is no better than a girl,' growled his comrade; 'my little brother
Dick would be more than a match for him!'

'I wot not that,' said Percy; 'there's a drop of life and spirit at the
bottom; and for the rest, when he looks up with those eyes of his, and
smiles his smile, it is somehow as if it were beneath a man to vex him
wilfully. And he sees so much meaning in everything, too, that it is a
dozen times better sport to hear him talk than one of you fellows, who
have only wit enough to know a hawk from a heron-schaw.'

After a grave Easter-tide spent at Leicester, the Court moved to
Westminster, where Henry had to meet his parliament, and obtain supplies
for the campaign which was to revenge the death of Clarence.

There was no great increase of gaiety even here, for Henry was extremely
occupied, both with regulating matters for government during his absence,
and in training the troops who began to flock to his standard; so that
the Queen complained that his presence in England was of little service
to her, since he never had any leisure, and there were no pastimes.

'Well, Dame,' said Henry, gaily, 'there is one revel for you. I have
promised to knight the Lord Mayor, honest Whittington, and I hear he is
preparing a notable banquet in the Guild Hall.'

'A city mayor!' exclaimed Queen Catherine, with ineffable disgust. 'My
brothers would sooner cut off his _roturier_ head than dub him knight!'

'Belike,' said Henry, dryly; 'but what kind of friends have thy brothers
found at Paris? Moreover, this Whittington may content thee as to blood.
Rougedragon hath been unfolding to me his lineage